COLIN BISH, STAFF WRITER
Photo: WIkimedia Commons
In one of the most extensive and in-depth pieces I have ever written, I will be naming my top 100 college football players since 2010. However, I’d like to note a couple of things before I begin.
First, although this is a small notice, I will not include current players in this list; only players no longer in college. Thus, players like Travis Hunter and Dillon Gabriel will not be included.
Second, you may have noticed the “100-91” in the title. That’s because I will be breaking apart my list into 10 different pieces, from 100-91, 90-81, 80-71 and so on for the coming weeks.
100. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
Winfield Jr., the son of former NFL cornerback Antoine Winfield, played college football in Minneapolis, the city where his father became one of the NFL’s best defensive backs. Winfield Jr. showed flashes of potential in his freshman year but dealt with injuries in his next two seasons. Everything came together in 2019, his last year at Minnesota. Winfield Jr. was named a unanimous All-American, notching 88 tackles and grabbing seven interceptions,leading the Gophers to their first 10-win season in 16 years. Winfield Jr. went on to be drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, where he still currently plays.
99. Defensive tackle Derrick Brown, Auburn
Though Brown didn’t stuff the stat sheet, his presence alone devastated the teams he faced. Brown’s sophomore and junior campaigns showcased his ability as one of the best run-stuffers in the nation. But it was in 2019 that Brown exploded onto the scene. He notched 55 tackles, with 13 of them going for a loss, four sacks, four pass deflections and two forced fumbles. Brown was named 2019 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American before being drafted by Carolina in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
98. Offensive lineman Cyril Richardson, Baylor
Standing six-foot-five and weighing 329 pounds, Richardson was one of the most physical linemen of the past decade. After being redshirted in 2009, Richardson showed out in 2011 at left tackle, being a key protector of Heisman quarterback Robert Griffin III. Richardson moved to left guard in 2012, but that would not slow his production as he was voted unanimous first-team All-Big 12. Richardson improved even more in the 2013 season, where he was named a national unanimous All-American for the Big 12 champion Bears. Richardson was drafted in the fifth round by Buffalo in 2014, where he would play for one year before bouncing around practice squads with future stints in the AAF and XFL.
97. Cornerback Julian Love, Notre Dame
Though forgotten by many in the college football landscape, Love was one of the most underrated defenders in his college days. Love played sparingly in the 2016 season with mixed results but found his spark in 2017. Love notched 68 tackles with three interceptions and 20 passes defended, the latter of which ranked second in the nation. Love continued his lockdown play into 2018, totaling 63 tackles, one interception and 16 passes defended. Despite decreased stats, Love was a crucial piece in an undefeated Notre Dame team that made the College Football Playoff. The New York Giants drafted Love in 2019, where he played four seasons until joining Seattle in 2023.
96. Defensive end Sutton Smith, Northern Illinois
A little-known edge rusher from DeKalb, Illinois, Smith was a genuinely underrated superstar. Following a quiet freshman year, Smith burst onto the scene in 2017, leading the nation in tackles for loss (30) and sacks (14). He was also named a consensus All-American that season. Smith continued dominating his junior year, leading the nation in tackles for loss again with 27, while leading the Mid-American Conference in sacks (15) and forced fumbles (4). Unsurprisingly, Smith was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year, in both 2017 and 2018. The Pittsburgh Steelers took Smith in the sixth round of the 2019 draft, but he never saw NFL action until with the Raiders in 2021.
95. Safety Jeremy Cash, Ohio State & Duke
Cash started his career at Ohio State but quickly transferred after the departure of head coach Jim Tressel. He wound up at Duke, soon becoming a key piece in their football program’s revival under David Cutcliffe. From 2013 to 2015, Cash totaled over 300 tackles and notched 10 tackles for loss or more in each of those three seasons. He also added six interceptions, 14 passes defended and nine forced fumbles during that same timeframe. Cash finished his career with a bang in 2015, winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and being named a unanimous All-American. Cash wound up going undrafted, being signed as an undrafted free agent by Carolina before bouncing around multiple other teams.
94. Linebacker/Safety Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Simmons’ time at Clemson made him one of the more versatile players in recent college football history. Simmons saw little production during his first two seasons, but came out strong in 2018. A key component of Dabo Swinney’s national championship team, Simmons played a linebacker/safety role, making 89 tackles, 10 for a loss and forcing three fumbles. Clemson used Simmons’ versatile skill set in 2019, when he switched to primarily linebacker but continued to line up at safety and even at nickel. Simmons finished 2019 with 103 tackles, 16 for a loss, seven sacks, three interceptions and seven passes defended. He was also named unanimous All-American and won the Dick Butkus Award, recognizing the nation’s best linebacker. Simmons would be drafted eighth overall by Arizona in 2020, playing for three seasons before being traded to the Giants in 2023.
93. Defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
Kerrigan played just one season between the 2010-2023 threshold but quickly cemented himself as an easy top 100 player. Kerrigan showcased his skills a year prior in 2009, leading the nation in forced fumbles and the Big Ten in sacks. But his 2010 season he exceeded all expectations, becoming a nightmare for quarterbacks. Kerrigan totaled 70 tackles while leading the country in tackles for loss (26) and the Big Ten in sacks (12.5) and forced fumbles (5). After being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American, Washington drafted Kerrigan in the first round of the 2011 Draft, becoming one of their best all-time defensive players.
92. Quarterback Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Nobody could have expected Prescott’s rise to college stardom. He showed some potential in his sophomore 2013 campaign, but it seemed like more work needed to be done. Then came 2014, which likely turned the tide of Prescott’s football career. Under coach Dan Mullen’s offense, Prescott totaled over 4000 yards of offense and scored 45 touchdowns. Prescott’s play placed him in the top 10 of Heisman voting while his team reached as high as number one in the Associated Press and inaugural College Football Playoff polls. Though Mississippi State struggled the following year, Prescott deviated from his dual-threat style to show his passing ability, throwing for over 3700 yards and 29 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Prescott would be drafted in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys, remaining the team’s starting quarterback for the last nine seasons.
91. Offensive lineman Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
The native of Holmdel, New Jersey arrived at Notre Dame and soon established himself as a dominating presence. Nelson saw some action in 2015 and was named the full-time starter at left guard in 2016. Though the Irish struggled, Nelson became widely known as one of the most fierce blockers in the country. In 2017, Nelson was named a unanimous All-American while leading a Notre Dame offense that ranked in the top 10 in both rushing yards per game and rushing yards per attempt. Regarded as a top 10 pick in the 2018 Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Nelson sixth overall, where he has earned six consecutive Pro Bowls and three All-Pro selections.
